Mechanical playing apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. l, 1908.

No. 897,82o.

W. F. COOPER.

MECHANICAL PLAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1906.

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PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

W. F. GOOPER. MEOHANICAL PLAYING APPARATUS.

` APPLIUATIM rILm SEPT. 4, 1906.

HT r J E n 3 3 u I No. 897320; v

W 1 TNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT orinon.

WILLIAM F. OOOPER, OF NORWALK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. B. OHASE COMPANY, OF NORWALK, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MECHANICAL PLAYING APPARATUS.

Speeificaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908&

Application filed September 4, 1906. Serial Ne. 333,2l7.

To all whom it 'ma/y COHCeMt:

Bo .it known that l, ILLIAM F. Coornn, a citizen ot the United States ofAmerca, 'residing at Norwalk, in the county of Huron and State ot Ohio, have invented certain new and useful lnqn'ovements in. Mechanie'al Playing A1,paratus, ot which the following is a spec'ilication, reference being had thei-ein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mechanical musical .instrumente or apparatus, and relatesmore specifically to that ,type of n'iechanical musical apparatus generally known as interier players, which is that type ol mechanical 'playing apparatus in which the player mechauisin such as the pneumatics, pneunatie motor, controller-hox, expression eontroller, etc., is arranged within the case ot the piano or other musical instrument to 'which the playinrg-attachment is attached.

My present in Vention relates to improve- .ments .in the mounting of the player mechanism including the bellows, pneumatics and similar a'ppurtenant parts within the case of the 'piano or other lreyed instrument to which the playing attachment is attached, in such nanner as to permit the ready removal ot said player-m'ech anisn :from the case of the musical-instrument without requiring discomection ot, or intertering' in any manner with any oil" the parts o'l'` the piano-action, or 'ther ,musical instrument-action, or necessitating the renwval oi the player key-iframe o'l' the player-,1 nechanism.

More specilically stated, the present in- Vention has relation to improvements in the :'nanner in which the lingers (which will he heroin termed the pneumatic-fingers) that 40 are carried hy the pneumatics of the playermechanism, are detachably-engaged with the .finger-wires of the player key-treme of the player-mechanisni, and the n'rnner in which said linger wires areactuated so as to operate on the ahstracts of the ]'iai,1o-action.

The present invention also relates to improvements in .interier players of that type which have a tracker-box located outside the :ase oi" the .instrument and adapted to be swun out in *front of the key-heard thereof .into playing-position, and the nvention has *for one oi" its objects to provide .in connection with tl type of deviee, nove] means for automatically looking the keys of the musical instrume''t as the tracker-box is moved into 'or other musical instrument, further than that the pneumatics of said mechanism carry fingers for detachably-engaging the fingerwires of the player key-treme, the details of Construction of such pneumatics as are employed hy .me in my improved playing-apparatus, being shown and described in an applicationfiled May 17, 1906, Serial Ne. *317,273. Neither does the present invention relate to or concern the spe c Construction of the tracker-box, the details 'ol' construction of which are shown and described in an application filed hy me July 18, 1906, Serial No. 326,@42. lt is, however, to he understood that the improvements do have relation to the general tmanner in which the playing attachment is arranged within the case of the piano or other musical instrument, as they are particularly adapted to that Construction in which the player-action etc., is hinged within the case ol the piano or other musical instrument so as to be swung out therefrom as a whole when the lower front board of the piano is removed, as is tully shown, described and claimed in an application filed hyme May 29, 1905, Serial Ne. ?62,875

Having generallystated the objects of the present invention, I will proceed to descrbe the same in detail, reference being had in such description to the aecompanying drawings sl'rowing a practical emhodiment of the invention, it being understood however that I do not, in such description, limit myself to the specific constructien shown and described, claiming at all times the right to avail myself of equivalents such as may he covered hy the scopo ol" the appended claims.

In the drawing-s :-l`igure 1, is a transverse Vertical sectional View of a piano of the upright type, showing the pano-action of the instrument, the player key frame of the player-mechanism, the manner in which the pneumatic iingers carried by the pneumatics ol" the player-mechanism engage with the finger-wires of the player key-lrame, the nanner in which the player-keys of the player key-l'rame engage the abstracts of the pianoaction, and further showing somewhat conventionally a tracker box swung out to playing position and the manner in which the keys of the instrument are locked against movement when the tracker-box is in playing position. Fig. 2, is a view of my improved player key-frame in rear elevation, partly broken away, showing the blocks carried by the :linger-wires l or engagement by the pneumatic-ingers carried by the pneumatics of the player-action. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of a piano key-bed, illustrating the automatically-operated locking-bar. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the piano key-bed, showing a modified form ol Construction for the key locking device, the tracker-box being shown in full lines in its non-playing position, and in dotted lines in its playing position. Fig. 5, is an enlarged cross sectional view of the upper bar of the player key-frame, showing more clearly how the player keys are mounted on said bar.

As automatic and combination pianos are well known, there is no need of describing the various parts except in so lar as they may have relation to the present improvements. Therefore, in the description, in using the term piano-action it is intended to include the group of Operating parts above the manual keys for producing the stroke upon the strings, e'l'lecting recoil of the haminers, damping the strings, etc. Similarly, by the term player-mechanism, it is intended to include generally, the various pneumatics that are arranged within the case of the piano beneath the key-bed and back ol" the lower front board ot such piano case. Also, the term player key-fraiue as used herein, is a generic term employed for designating generally the l'ranie which is permanently secured in the piano case, but belongs to the player-111echanism, and includes the [ingerwires with the blocks thereon which are engaged by the pneumatic fingers, and the player-keys to which said 'ingcr-wires are connected, and which player-keys engagc underneath the abstracts of the piano-action to actuate the latter when the pneumatics collapse and the pneuniatic lingers pull down on the finger-wires.

The numeral 1, indicates generally, the piano-action, and 2, one ol" the abstracts thereol these abstracts rest at 'their lower ends in the usual manner on the ordinary capstan-screws 3 carried by the piano-keys 4, and are adapted to be engaged froni underneath for actuation by the player-keys pivotally-supporteI on the player keytramc. The player key-[rame coinprises two bars 6 and 7, which extend horizontally within the piano case, and are securely fastened therein by screws or in any other desirable manner, and. are connected adjacent their ends by vertical cross-bars 6". The upper bar 6 is shown in the present illustration, which is a preferable construction, as seated upon and Secured, as by screws S, to the upper back edge of the key-bottom E), and just back of the piano key-frame 10. Pivotallymounted on this bar 6 in standards or butts 11, are the player-keys 5, the standards or butts being bifurcated at their upper ends to receive the player-keys. The finger-wires 12 are carried by the bars 6 and 7, and have vertical movement in both of said bars.

The present Construction which is an entirely practical ene, shows the up per bar (i as provided with a rearwardly-extending longitudinal 'lange 14, notched to receive each of the finger-wires 12, while the lower bar 7 is also provided with a horizontal llange 15, that is notched to receive the finger-wires 12, and is also provided with a longitudinal row ol openings 16, one opposite each notch in the fiange 15 for each linger-wire; at their lower ends, the iinger-wires 12 are each bent upwardly into openings 16, as clearly seen in Fig. 1, and are thus held against lateral movement or displacement, while moving vertically in the notched-llanges 14 and 15 ol' the bars 6 and 7 respectively. This construction may be modified readily without departing from the scope of the invention.

Each one of the player-lingers is bifurcated in its rear end, and in, this bi'l urcated end is pivotally-mounted a block 18, the pivot point of the block being to one side ot the center, and the block being centrallyapertured to receive the 'upper end of the iinger-wire 12. The upper ends ol these tinger-wires 12 are screw-tlreaded as clearly seen in Fig. :3, these screw-threatleil ends passing through the a pertured blocks 18, and having adjusting or regulating-nuts I?) on their upper ends.

Located on each linger-wire between the Ilange H of the har (i and the block 18, is a stop or buller l or engagenent with the llange let, and which in practice is usually a leather nut on the threaded-portion of the lingerwire and a felt washer below the nut. ()n each 'l'inger-wire 12 is a block 21, prelbrably adjustbly-secure(l thercon by a set-screw 22, so that it may be perl'ectly positioned and seeurely held on the tinger-wire. These, blocks are arranged alternately, as will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 ol" the draw ings, at points approximately nidway the length of the finger-wires, and near the lower ends ol said wires, the upper row of bloeks being engaged by the lingers of one set of pneumatics ol' the )layer-neehanisin, and the lower row of blocks being engaged by the &97,820 i i pneumatic-lingers of the other set of pneumatics of the pneumatic action of the playermechanisrn.

The inner or forward ends ot the playerkeys 5 lie directly underneath and engage with the lower ends of the several abstracts 2 ol* the PlHMl-tlllll i, the weight ol the 'linger wires being prrwentcd 'l roni normally acting on the player-keys so as to cause theni to lift or press against the abstracts, by springs 23 carried hy the bar G back of the standards or butts 11, said spring's exerting their tension against the player-keys 5 to normally hold the rear ends ol' the same elevated, and consequently, normally holding the linger-wires elevated.

ln order that the player-keys may be sup-- ported and held against the action ol" the springs ;3 when the player-'ineehanism is swung outof the piano case, l provide backstop 8 carried by the top bar 6. This hackstop is positioned back ol and below the inner ends ol the player-keys 5 and serve to limit the inove'nent ol" the pla' ?r keys the springs thus being prevented 'treni acting against the keys 5 so as to elevate wires 12, these wires being' thereby retained in such position to insnre the pneuniatic :l'ingers being positioned directly over the blocks 21 when the player-meehan'sm is swunc back into position within the mano-case.

As shown in ,my application Serial No. 317273 herctol'ore rel'erred to, the pneumatic action ol" the playing; attachment embodies two rows of power pnenmatics, one row being arranged above the other row, and the pneumatics of one row being' staggered with relation to the pneumatics of the other row. This pneumatic action I have only shown conventionally .in. the present application, being designated 24 in Fig. 1, the numeral 25 designating the power pneumatics ol" the upper row, and the numeral 26 designating the power pneumatics ol the lower row. The 'power pneumatics 25 ol" the up per row ot said pnenmatics eacl'i. carry a 'l'inger 27 'which l term the pneumatic-l'ingcr, and. hence will herein use that term throughout the description and clainis. Siinilarly, each power pneumatic 26 of the lower row carries a pneumatic 'linger 27, the :lingers 27 of the upper row 25 ot power pneumatics resting upon and engaging the 'upper row ol blocks 21 on tlie'li]12;e1^-\vires 12, and the pneumaticlingers 27 of the lower row ol" power pneunatics 26 resting upon and engae mg the lower row ol' blocks carried by the 'lingerwires 12. lt is to be understood that the pneumatic--action 25 is connected by flexible tubes to the tracker board (not shown) of the tracker-box 28. lt to be observed that the pneumatic l'inrers 27 are not connected or l'astened in any manner to the blocks 21 on the finger--wires 12, but simply lie over the npper laco or top of these blocks. When.

however, power pneumatics 25 and 26 collapse, the movement inparted to the lingers 27 by the collapsing of said power pneumati cs causes theni to bear down on the blocks 21, and consequently pull down on the linger-wires 12, and the rear or elevated ends of the player-keys 5, thereby throwing the forward ends of said player-keys up against the lower ends ol' the abstracts and loreing the hammers ol" the piano-action against the strings ol the 'piano to sound the note.

With respect to so much ol the present invention as has now been described in detail, I desire to call particular attention to certain features thereot, and the advantages resultant l'rom this constructim. lVith the con.- struction described, it :is to be observed that the blocks 21 lie in the path ol? the finger 27 during the collapsing movement ol the pneumatic, the relative position of the 'linger and its block 21 when in normal position, being' such that the :linger may be freely moved into and out of the plane of the path of move ment of the block, this being required by reason ol' the lateral movement ol' theylingers when that part of the construction of the piano player carrying; the pneumatics is moved from its normal position, as a unitary struetin'e, to separate the parts, or when being moved in the opposite direction to place the several fingers 27 in proper position over their respective blocks 21. Such movements of the pneumatic-carrier can only take place without liability of brcakage of parts, where the lingers and their blockslie in parallel adjacent planes, to avoid liability of opposing edges ol the 'lingers and blocks coming into edgewise contact when the pneumatic carrier is being moved to its normal position. The position ol: the blocks 21 is fixed by reason of the contact of the player key 5 with back stop S'. T herefore, the movement of the 'linger wires 12 during: the reinllating of the pneuniatics is limited. by the contact ol the 'player key with the back stop. And since the positions of the 'lingers 27 relative to the blocks 21 must be such as to prevent the edrewise contact heretol ore rel erred to, it will be obvious that there is required a change in the pressure of contact of the 'linger on the block, in order that the movement ol' the ingers when the pneumatic carrier is being removed or replaced may be freely made.

I also desire to call particular attention to the construetion and location ol the playerkeys 5 as described. By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it Will be observed that these player-keys are located back of and under the piano abstracts and may be readily madeto operate on the abstract when located at a .higher level than the bottom of the abstract, or may be adjusted to engage the abstract at any desired point.

XVith the arrangement and Construction ol the player key-.trance shown and described, it will be observed that when it is desired to remove the player-niechanism, comprising the pneunatics etc., which 1layer-nechanism is in practice adapted to be swung out from the piano ease, in a cordance with the showing in my application Serial No. %2,875 heretofore referred to, the pneumatic 'lingers 27 being unconneeted to the bloeks 21 or linger-wires 12, move away from the said bloeks or wires without disturbing the player key-franie in any manner, and, when the player-mechanism is swung back within the piano 'ase the 'l'ingers 27 are again positioned over the bloeks 21, rendering the apparatus ready for use.

I will now describe the other improvement embodied in the present application, as applied to interier playing apparatus of the type stated. This improvement comprises the automatic lock for the piano keys when the tracker-box is swung up into its playing position.

As stated, the tracker-box forming one of the elements or appnrtenant parts of a complete playing attachment is generally of that type shown and described in my application 'filed July 18, 1906, Serial Ne. 326,(3142, in which a frame is attaehed to horizontallyextending supports carried by the )layingattachment. To the said frame carried by said supports, as shown and claimed in detail in said application above referred to, there is iivotally-secin'ed a tracker-box carryingtrame 29. In my present improvement, l utilize this frame in .etll'eeting the autmnatie locking of the piano-keys, making the said frame in one form of e'nstruction shown, the actuating-member or element for moving the locking bar into locking position when the tracker-box is swung out to playing position. ln another embodiment of the invention shown, l utilize the tracker-box l'rame when the tracker-box is in. the non-playing position as the element for holding the. lock ing-bar in the lowered or unlocked position. 'l`his inprovenent embodies broadly, therefore, means for positively and automat ally locking the keys of the piano or other instrunent against vibration when the playermechanism is being used, and means for automatically releasing the lock for said keys when the tracker-box of the player-mechanism is moved to non-playing position.

ln the constructimi shown in Figs., l and 3, the principle involved is one in which the tracker-box carrying l'rame 29 is employed as the acting element for moving the key-locking bar into l( cking-position when the trackerbox is moved to playing position, while in Fig. r, the principle of c mstruction involved, while accomplishing exactly the same results, is one in which the key-locking bar held in the unlocked position by the carryingframe of the tracker-bo): when the latter is in the closed or non-playing position.

&97,820

Referring first to the Construction shown in Figs., 1 and 3, the loeking-bar 30, is arranged beneath the piano-keys 4; near the forward ends of said keys, and above the keyframe 10. In practice, this loeking-bar is provided on its upper face with a faeing or strip of felt or the like to engage with the piano-keys at. The bar is hinged at one or more points as shown at 31, to the keyl'rame 10, and is held down positively by one or more springs 3:32. ln the key-frame and key-bed, is mounted for vertical-movement a plunger or pin 33, projeeting normally a slight distance below the bottom of the keybed. Yt'hen the tracker-bim '28 is swung or moved out to its playing position, as shown in Fig. 1, the plunger orpin 33, is engaged by a stud or pin 34 earried by the tracker-box carrying-frame 29, and the pin or plnnger 33 is forced upwardly so as to elevate the lockingbar 30, raising same against the underneath face of the piano-keys 4, thus looking the said keys and holding themagainst vibration as long as the playing-attachment is being used. When, however, the tracker-box is swung back underneath the key-bed to non-playing position, the pressure on pin or plunger 33 is relieved, and the spring or springs 32 force the locking-bar 30 down flat against the key-frame lt), and the keys l are free to be played by hand.

ln the construction involved in the showing in Fig. 4, the locking-bar 3() arranged in the same position, but the springs 32 are disposed or arranged to act against the bar to normally elevate the same. Extending from the bar downwardly and rearwardly through a slot in the ke '-bed is an arm 3.3, which terminates below the key-bed at a point where it will be engaged by the tracker-bo carrying frame as the tracker-box is moved to the closed or non-playing position, and the rear or free end of the arm forced upwardly, causing the arm to pull down on the locking-bar St), and hold the same in its lowered or unlocked position as long as the tracker-box is left in the closedornon-playing position. As soon, however, as the tracker-box is swung out to playing position, the spring or springs 132 act against the lot-king bar SU, to move it into locking position, immtaliatcly upon the tracker-box carrying-frame moving out of engagement with the rear or free cnd of the arm 35. lu both constructions, it will be olserved the piano-keys are positively locked or held against vibration or depression while the playing apparatus is being opcrated, though when the tracker-box is ,moved to non-playing position, the keys l of the piano are free tobe manually operated.

llaving ftlll described my invention, what l claim isz 1. ln an automatic phtying piano, the combination with the piano action including abst'acts, ol" al,stract actuating devices corre- &97,820

sponding in number to the abstracts, and means for indepemlently actuating said devices, said means having a disengageable make and break engageinent with the actuating devices, the normal position ol the abstract actuating-devices relatively to the action remaining una'i'l'ected by the disengagement thereirom of said means.

2. In an automatic playing piano, the combination with a piano, movable player-mechanism, including power pneumatics arranged within the case ol the piano, and a piano-action including abstracts, of a player keyl ra/me secu''ml within the piano case and embodying pivoted player-keys, one for each abstract and adapted to engage said abstracts to actuate the same, said player keyl rame also embodying vertically-n'iovable 'l'inger-wires, one for each player key and connected thereto, and a make-and-break engagement between each ol said :linger-Wires and the power pneitimaties ol' said pneumaticaction.

3. ln an automatic playing piano, the combination with the piano action including abstracts, ol' abstract actuating devices corresponding in number to the abstracts, and. means extendii'ig into the plane of the path of movement ol the devices 'for independently actuating them, said means l'iav'ing a disengagcablc make and break engagement with the actuating d evices as a unitary structure, the normal position ol" the abstract actuating-dm ices relatively to the action remaining unal'l' ected by the disengagement tlwrelrom ol' said, means 4:. In an automatic playing piano, the combination with a piano-action .including abstracts, of a movable interier playing mechanism including power pneumatics, a permanently-mounted key-frame including pivotally-mmmted player-keys, one for each abstract and engaging said abstracts 'to actuate the same, 'linger-wires carried by said player key-hame, one for each player-key and connected at their upper ends to said player-keys, a block carried by each linger- 'Wii-e, and a pneumatic finger carried by each power pneumatic of said player-mechanism, the said. blocks and the said pneumatic 'lingers constituting a note-sounding, make and break engagement between each power pneuma'tic and its corresponding abstract.

5. In an automatic piano player, the combination with a pneumatic playing mechanism including power pneumatics, and the piano-action including abstracts, of playerkeys, one for each abstract positioned back of and. engaging under the abstracts, and operating connections between the power pneumatics of said playing-mechanism and the player-keys and Operating on said playerkeys to actuate the abstracts. i

6. In an automatic piano player, the combination with a pneumatic playingmechanism including power pneumatics, and the piano-action including abstracts, of playerkeys, one for each abstract, positioned back ol" and engaging under the abstracts, and detachable make-and-break connections between the power pneumatics of said playingmechan'ism and the player-keys.

7. In an automatic piano player, the combination with the abstracts, of a plurality of in(lependently-actuated power pneumatics, each having an Operating ilinger, and a corresponding number of abstract-actuating de- Vices located in the path oi' movement of said :lingers and engageable therewith, the relative arrangement of the 'lingers and devices providing a make and break contact there- With, the pneumatics and their Operating 'fingers being movable out of the plane of the path ol? movement of the abstract actuating devices as a unitary structure, the normal position of the abstract actuating-devices relatively to the abstracts remaining una'l'l'ected by the disengaging movement of the pneumatics and their operating fingers.

S. In an automatic piano player, the combination with the abstracts, of a plurality of indepeinlently-actuated power pneumatics, each having an Operating linger, and a corresponding number of abstract actuating devices permanently located in the operable path of movement of said fingers, the movement of each inger being of a length relative to the length of movement of the abstract actuating devices such as to permit the finger to be freely moved laterally out of the plane of the path of movement of said devices without afi ecting the normal position of said devices relatively to the abstracts.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. COOPER.

Witnesses:

E. G. BoUGHToN, A. M. WILSON. 

